In new ad, Fiorina slams Boxer’s ‘arrogance’

It didn't take long for California's Senate race to get nasty.

Just a few days after Barbara Boxer unveiled her first attack ad in the race, GOP nominee Carly Fiorina is out with her first statewide TV spot, slamming the Democratic senator's "arrogance."

The ad uses footage of a June 2009 Senate hearing, in which Boxer demanded Brigadier Gen. Michael Walsh, who heads the Army Corps of Engineers, to refer to her as "senator" not "ma'am." "I worked hard to get that title, so I'd appreciate it," Boxer says.

The spot then shifts to a close-up of Fiorina. "Twenty-eight years in Washington, and Barbara Boxer works hard for a title?" Fiorina tells the camera. "I'll really go to work to end the arrogance in Washington."

The 30-second ad wraps up with a photo of Boxer, captioned: "So wrong. Too long."

You can watch the ad after the jump:

This is likely a sign of things to come in what is shaping up to be one of the nation's most closely watched contests. Originally favored to win the race, Boxer has fought all summer to keep a lead over Fiorina, the former head of Hewlett-Packard. Polls have found Boxer leading anywhere from four to eight points in recent weeks, with the race still rated by most election-watchers as a "toss up."

The Democratic incumbent will get some big-time help in coming weeks, as she's set to campaign with both the president and first lady in the month before Election Day. But the big question is whether Fiorina will dip into her personal wealth, as she did during the primary, to help fund TV ads in the race.

Boxer so far has vastly outspent Fiorina, and according to the most recent campaign filings in the race, she has more cash in the bank than her opponent. But unlike her GOP colleague Meg Whitman, who has spent more than $119 million of her own cash on her bid to be California's next governor — now the standing record for self-funded campaigns — Fiorina has not been as willing to spend her own cash, chipping in just $5.5 million so far.